County votes to maintain Medicaid responsibility

    YATES COUNTY (Sept. 11, 2012)—The Yates County Legislature voted to retain the responsibilities of administering Medicaid until they are able to see how it is working under the State Department of Health’s control.
    County Administrator Sarah Purdy said the state had agreed to assume responsibilities from counties a year ago and that contracting Medicaid administration to the state would actually end up costing the county more money than if they did it themselves.
    “On paper, it sounded like a great idea,” Purdy said. “In reality, there are a lot of kinks to be worked out.”
    She said some of the main issues is that rules in regard to Medicaid have changed. One example she gave was if somebody on Medicaid was found to be ineligible, the county would be liable to pay back the costs.
    Purdy said that the state is giving them the option to hang onto the administrative duties, which would allow the county to see how it works. She said the state is going to take over anyway over a period of six years—by March 31, 2018—but that the legislature did not want Yates County to be a “guinea pig.” Purdy said this is a universal situation for all counties in the state.
    Also during the meeting, County Chairman Taylor Fitch said the numbers from the Finance Committee indicates the budget deficit looks like a potential double digit tax increase. Fitch said the legislature does not wish to do this and are open to new ways to overcome the deficit.
    “We are looking for some help or ideas from our public, which pays our bills and taxes,” Fitch said.
    One of the ways Fitch said the county is trying to cut down the budget is to only include about five or six miles worth of roads for the highway department instead of eight or nine.
    The legislature also voted to set a date for a public hearing for Tuesday, Oct. 9 on the proposed local law to establish the office of county administrator for Yates County. The resolution states that the county administrator position shall be reaffirmed and that the administrator would “be responsible to the county legislature for the overall administration of county government and shall provide a full range of services to the county legislature and its various committees.”
    Fitch said because of the two year terms the legislators serve, the county administrator would be appointed to a one year term starting Jan, 1, 2013 and ending Dec. 31, 2013 to make it coincide with an election year. He said afterward, the county administrator would be appointed to two year terms thereafter. Fitch said the administrator is currently on a four year appointment, and that this law would help transition it to a two year rotation.
    The next meetings of the Yates County Legislature are moved to Tuesday, Oct. 9 and Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. so as not to interfere with Columbus Day and Armistice Day holidays.